NPL 2026 Teams & Squads

The eight NPL 2026 teams and their Season 3 squads in one directory: full player lists, captains, head coaches, franchise owners, auction records and the roster rules every squad was built under.

Reviewed 24 October 2026 · Official 8-Team Directory · October 26 – November 21 Tournament Window

The NPL 2026 teams contest the Nepal Premier League Season 3 title from 26 October to 21 November 2026 at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. The eight franchises were bought for a combined NPR 16.89 crore and represent provinces and cities across Nepal: defending champions Lumbini Lions, two-time runners-up Sudurpaschim Royals, inaugural champions Janakpur Bolts, Kathmandu Gorkhas, Pokhara Avengers, Chitwan Rhinos, Biratnagar Kings and Karnali Yaks. Every squad was built the same way: up to seven retained players, signings from the Kathmandu auction on 6 July 2026, and direct contracts with overseas professionals.

NPL 2026 Franchise Directory Quick Facts

Competing Franchises: Eight official teams compete in NPL Season 3—Lumbini Lions, Sudurpaschim Royals, Janakpur Bolts, Kathmandu Gorkhas, Pokhara Avengers, Chitwan Rhinos, Biratnagar Kings, and Karnali Yaks.
Championship Pedigree: Lumbini Lions are defending champions from 2025; Janakpur Bolts won the inaugural 2024 trophy; Sudurpaschim Royals are two-time runners-up.
Squad Composition: Squads are built in three parts: up to seven retained players with the marquee included, buys from the auction of 6 July 2026, and direct overseas signings. A squad carries 14 domestic places and six to eight overseas players, and a playing XI can field at most four overseas players.
Franchise Owners: Pokhara Avengers were the costliest franchise at NPR 3.57 crore (Nepal T20 Cricket Pvt. Ltd.), Kathmandu Gorkhas cost NPR 3.33 crore (Kathmandu Sports Development Venture), and Karnali Yaks the least at NPR 1.12 crore (Himalayan Builders).
Purse & Auction Dynamics: Lumbini Lions recorded the highest auction outlay (NPR 44 Lakh), followed by Janakpur Bolts (NPR 41.25 Lakh) and Biratnagar Kings (NPR 37.25 Lakh). The single most expensive buy was Aasif Sheikh, signed by Lumbini for NPR 20 Lakh.
Venue & Competition: All eight teams compete exclusively at Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur from October 26 to November 21, 2026.

Explore Team Cards ↓ Team Comparison Table ↓ All Players Directory → Auction Records →

Nepal Premier League Season 3

NPL 2026 Teams

Every card below carries the team’s full Season 3 squad table: retained players, auction buys with prices, and overseas signings. Open the team name for the full profile, records and fixtures.

Defending Champions 📍 Lumbini Province

Lumbini Lions

Defending champions after winning the 2025 final. Landed the auction’s most expensive buy, Aasif Sheikh at NPR 20 lakh, and added Bangladesh all-rounder Shamim Hossain in October.

Captain Rohit Paudel

Marquee Player Rohit Paudel

Squad Size 17 Players

Auction Spend NPR 44L

Season 3 Squad · 17 Players

Player	Role	Status
Rohit Kumar Paudel	All-rounder	Retained
Sher Malla	All-rounder	Retained
Dilip Nath	Wicket-keeper	Retained
Sundeep Jora	Batter	Retained
Dinesh Adhikari	All-rounder	Retained
Abhishesh Gautam	Bowler	Retained
Tilak Bhandari	Bowler	Retained
Aakash Tripathi	Batter	Auction · NPR 5 lakh
Aasif Sheikh	Wicket-keeper	Auction · NPR 20 lakh
Ajay Chauhan	Bowler	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Arniko Prasad Yadav	All-rounder	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Durgesh Gupta	Bowler	Auction · NPR 5 lakh
Kishor Mahato	Bowler	Auction · NPR 10 lakh
Ruben Trumpelmann	Bowler	Overseas · Namibia
Niroshan Dickwella	Wicketkeeper-batter	Overseas · Sri Lanka
Shadley van Schalkwyk	All-rounder	Overseas · USA
Shamim Hossain	All-rounder	Overseas · Bangladesh

Two-Time Finalists 📍 Sudurpashchim Province

Sudurpaschim Royals

Two-time runners-up powered by national team stalwarts and overseas trio Saif Ali Zaib, Scott Kuggeleijn and Brandon McMullen.

Captain Dipendra Singh Airee

Marquee Player Dipendra Singh Airee

Squad Size 16 Players

Auction Spend NPR 26L

Season 3 Squad · 16 Players

Player	Role	Status
Dipendra Singh Airee	All-rounder	Retained
Binod Bhandari	Wicket-keeper	Retained
Aarif Sheikh	Batter	Retained
Ishan Pandey	Batter	Retained
Abinash Bohara	Bowler	Retained
Hemant Dhami	Bowler	Retained
Hikmat Mahara	Player	Retained
Anil Kharel	Bowler	Auction · NPR 5 lakh
Ayub Chand	Player	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Dipak Bohara	Wicket-keeper	Auction · NPR 10 lakh
Milan Bohara	All-rounder	Auction · NPR 5 lakh
Sachin Bhatta	Bowler	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Tek Rawat	Wicket-keeper	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Saif Ali Zaib	All-rounder	Overseas · England
Scott Kuggeleijn	Bowling all-rounder	Overseas · New Zealand
Brandon McMullen	All-rounder	Overseas · Scotland

Eastern Contenders 📍 Koshi Province

Biratnagar Kings

Eastern Nepal powerhouse. Andre Russell headlines an overseas group completed by Charith Asalanka and Shubham Ranjane.

Captain Sandeep Lamichhane

Marquee Player Sandeep Lamichhane

Squad Size 17 Players

Auction Spend NPR 37.25L

Season 3 Squad · 17 Players

Player	Role	Status
Sandeep Lamichhane	Bowler	Retained
Lokesh Bam	Wicket-keeper	Retained
Basir Ahamad	Bowler	Retained
Narayan Joshi	All-rounder	Retained
Pratish GC	Bowler	Retained
Subash Bhandari	Bowler	Retained
Aprajit Poudel	Bowler	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Dilsad Ali	Wicket-keeper	Auction · NPR 5 lakh
Imran Shekh	Batter	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Naren Saud	Bowler	Auction · NPR 5 lakh
Prajwal Thapa	Wicket-keeper	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Pratik Shrestha	All-rounder	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Rupesh Kumar Singh	All-rounder	Auction · NPR 15 lakh
Sujan Thapaliya	All-rounder	Auction · NPR 4.25 lakh
Andre Russell	All-rounder	Overseas · West Indies
Charith Asalanka	Batter	Overseas · Sri Lanka
Shubham Ranjane	All-rounder	Overseas · USA

Capital Franchise 📍 Bagmati Province

Kathmandu Gorkhas

Capital city franchise headlined by David Warner. KS Bharat, Sahan Arachchige and Will Bosisto complete a four-player overseas group.

Captain Karan KC

Marquee Player Karan KC

Squad Size 17 Players

Auction Spend NPR 17L

Season 3 Squad · 17 Players

Player	Role	Status
Karan KC	Batter	Retained
Bhim Sharki	Batter	Retained
Mohammad Aadil Alam	All-rounder	Retained
Rashid Khan	Bowler	Retained
Shahab Alam	Batter	Retained
Santosh Yadav	All-rounder	Retained
Dayanand Mandal	Bowler	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Dev Shah	Player	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Krishna Paudel	Player	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Prashiddha Jaishi	All-rounder	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Sahil Patel	Wicket-keeper	Auction · NPR 5 lakh
Sonu Devkota	Bowler	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Suryanshu Koirala	Batter	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
David Warner	Batter	Overseas · Australia
Sahan Arachchige	All-rounder	Overseas · Sri Lanka
KS Bharat	Wicketkeeper-batter	Overseas · India
Will Bosisto	Batter	Overseas · Australia

Western Powerhouse 📍 Gandaki Province

Pokhara Avengers

Representing the lake city of Pokhara, guided by Sri Lankan head coach Ajantha Mendis with dynamic batting firepower.

Captain Kushal Bhurtel

Marquee Player Kushal Bhurtel

Squad Size 17 Players

Auction Spend NPR 26.75L

Season 3 Squad · 17 Players

Player	Role	Status
Kushal Bhurtel	Batter	Retained
Arjun Kumal	Batter	Retained
Dinesh Kharel	Batter	Retained
Bipin Khatri	Batter	Retained
Aakash Chand	Batter	Retained
Kiran Thagunna	Batter	Retained
Sagar Dhakal	Bowler	Retained
Arjun Gharti	Wicket-keeper	Auction · NPR 15 lakh
Bibek Kumar Rana Magar	Batter	Auction · NPR 2.75 lakh
Bipin Acharya	All-rounder	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Pratik Pokharel	Player	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Sudip Aryal	Bowler	Auction · NPR 3 lakh
Sunny BK	Player	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Shakib Al Hasan	All-rounder	Overseas · Bangladesh
Dhananjaya Lakshan	All-rounder	Overseas · Sri Lanka
Chamika Karunaratne	All-rounder	Overseas · Sri Lanka
Mahedi Hasan	All-rounder	Overseas · Bangladesh

Mountain Warriors 📍 Karnali Province

Karnali Yaks

Resilient squad representing Nepal's rugged northwest, built with disciplined seam bowling and young talent.

Captain Sompal Kami

Marquee Player Sompal Kami

Squad Size 15 Players

Auction Spend NPR 26L

Season 3 Squad · 15 Players

Player	Role	Status
Sompal Kami	Bowler	Retained
Gulshan Kumar Jha	All-rounder	Retained
Nandan Yadav	Bowler	Retained
Deepak Dumre	Wicket-keeper	Retained
Pawan Sarraf	Batter	Retained
Unish Bikram Singh Thakuri	Batter	Retained
Yuvraj Khatri	Bowler	Retained
Bipin Prasad Sharma	Bowler	Auction · NPR 5 lakh
Dipendra Rawat	All-rounder	Auction · NPR 5 lakh
Diwan Pun	All-rounder	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Sachin Sharma	Batter	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Shubh Kansakar	Batter	Auction · NPR 10 lakh
Surya Tamang	Bowler	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Mark Watt	Bowler	Overseas · Scotland
Akbar Ali	Wicketkeeper-batter	Overseas · Bangladesh

Terai Contenders 📍 Bagmati (Chitwan)

Chitwan Rhinos

Explosive lineup built around Sikandar Raza, Ravi Bopara, Kaleem Sana and Usama Mir, made for Kirtipur conditions.

Captain Kushal Malla

Marquee Player Kushal Malla

Squad Size 17 Players

Auction Spend NPR 26L

Season 3 Squad · 17 Players

Player	Role	Status
Kushal Malla	All-rounder	Retained
Dev Khanal	Batter	Retained
Arjun Saud	Player	Retained
Kamal Singh Airee	Bowler	Retained
Ranjeet Kumar	Player	Retained
Deepak Bohara	Batter	Retained
Rijan Dhakal	Player	Retained
Ashok Dhami	Bowler	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Bibek Kumar Yadav	All-rounder	Auction · NPR 15 lakh
Bipin Rawal	Wicket-keeper	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Gautam KC	Bowler	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Mausam Dhakal	Bowler	Auction · NPR 3 lakh
Salahuddin Khan	Player	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Sikandar Raza	All-rounder	Overseas · Zimbabwe
Ravi Bopara	All-rounder	Overseas · England
Kaleem Sana	Bowler	Overseas · Canada
Usama Mir	Bowler	Overseas · Pakistan

Season 1 Champions 📍 Madhesh Province

Janakpur Bolts

Inaugural champions, restructured under captain Harmeet Singh, the USA all-rounder, with Moeen Ali and Jimmy Neesham in the overseas group.

Captain Harmeet Singh

Marquee Player Lalit Rajbanshi

Squad Size 17 Players

Auction Spend NPR 41.25L

Season 3 Squad · 17 Players

Player	Role	Status
Anil Kumar Sah	Wicket-keeper	Retained
Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi	Bowler	Retained
Mayan Yadav	Batter	Retained
Aaditya Mahata	Bowler	Retained
Bikash Aagri	Bowler	Retained
Aashutosh Pandey	Player	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Abhisekh Tiwari	All-rounder	Auction · NPR 5 lakh
Amar Singh Rautela	All-rounder	Auction · NPR 5 lakh
Bishal Kumar Patel	All-rounder	Auction · NPR 5 lakh
Bishal Susling	All-rounder	Auction · NPR 2 lakh
Rit Gautam	Batter	Auction · NPR 4.25 lakh
Santosh Karki	Wicket-keeper	Auction · NPR 3 lakh
Trit Raj Das	Batter	Auction · NPR 15 lakh
Harmeet Singh	All-rounder (captain)	Overseas · USA
Iftikhar Ahmed	All-rounder	Overseas · Pakistan
Moeen Ali	All-rounder	Overseas · England
Jimmy Neesham	All-rounder	Overseas · New Zealand

Cross-Franchise Analysis

NPL 2026 Teams Comparative Table

Comparative summary of leadership, province representation, roster size, recruitment breakdown, and official auction spending.

Team	Captain	Province	Total Players	Retained	Auction	Overseas	Auction Spend	Titles	Key Overseas Signings
Lumbini Lions	Rohit Paudel	Lumbini Province	17	7	6	4	NPR 44L	1 (2025)	Ruben Trumpelmann, Niroshan Dickwella, Shamim Hossain
Sudurpaschim Royals	Dipendra Singh Airee	Sudurpashchim Province	16	7	6	3	NPR 26L	0	Scott Kuggeleijn, Brandon McMullen
Biratnagar Kings	Sandeep Lamichhane	Koshi Province	17	6	8	3	NPR 37.25L	0	Andre Russell, Charith Asalanka
Kathmandu Gorkhas	Karan KC	Bagmati Province	17	6	7	4	NPR 17L	0	David Warner, Sahan Arachchige
Pokhara Avengers	Kushal Bhurtel	Gandaki Province	17	7	6	4	NPR 26.75L	0	Shakib Al Hasan, Mahedi Hasan
Karnali Yaks	Sompal Kami	Karnali Province	15	7	6	2	NPR 26L	0	Mark Watt, Akbar Ali
Chitwan Rhinos	Kushal Malla	Bagmati (Chitwan)	17	7	6	4	NPR 26L	0	Sikandar Raza, Ravi Bopara
Janakpur Bolts	Harmeet Singh	Madhesh Province	17	5	8	4	NPR 41.25L	1 (2024)	Moeen Ali, Jimmy Neesham

NPL Team Roster Rules: Retention, Auction and Signings

Nepal Premier League franchises construct their squads under structured recruitment rules governed by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN). Each franchise balances retention cores, open market auction bidding, and international direct acquisitions to assemble a squad capable of navigating the 27-day tournament schedule in Kirtipur.

Retention

Maximum retained	Up to 7 players per team, with the marquee player counted inside the seven.
Total retained for Season 3	52 players across the eight franchises.
Retained seven	Chitwan Rhinos, Karnali Yaks, Lumbini Lions, Pokhara Avengers and Sudurpaschim Royals.
Retained six	Biratnagar Kings and Kathmandu Gorkhas.
Retained five	Janakpur Bolts, the fewest of any team.
Marquee players	One per team: Rohit Paudel (Lumbini), Dipendra Singh Airee (Sudurpaschim), Sandeep Lamichhane (Biratnagar), Karan KC (Kathmandu), Kushal Bhurtel (Pokhara), Sompal Kami (Karnali), Kushal Malla (Chitwan) and Lalit Rajbanshi (Janakpur, the new marquee after Aasif Sheikh was released).
Domestic squad places	14 per team. Thirteen were filled through retention, the auction and wish-list picks; the 14th comes from each franchise’s talent hunt.

Auction

Date and venue	6 July 2026, Kathmandu.
Players shortlisted	155 players from 347 registered: Category A 5, Category B 27, Category C 123.
Sold at the auction	37 players. The remaining domestic places were completed from the wish list of unsold players.
Category A price band	NPR 10–15 lakh.
Category B price band	NPR 5–10 lakh.
Category C price band	NPR 2–5 lakh.
Most expensive buy	Aasif Sheikh to Lumbini Lions for NPR 20 lakh. As a released marquee player his band was NPR 15–20 lakh, and the sale was settled by lucky draw.
Other Category A sales	Arjun Gharti (Pokhara Avengers), Bibek Yadav (Chitwan Rhinos), Rupesh Singh (Biratnagar Kings) and Trit Raj Das (Janakpur Bolts), each at the NPR 15 lakh cap.

Overseas Signings

How players are signed	Direct contracts between the player and the franchise, outside the auction.
Per squad	6 to 8 overseas players.
In a playing XI	At most 4 overseas players, and the XI must include at least one player from an ICC Associate Member nation.
Clearance	Every overseas player needs a No Objection Certificate from his home board before he can play.
Headline signings	David Warner (Kathmandu Gorkhas), Andre Russell (Biratnagar Kings), Shakib Al Hasan (Pokhara Avengers), Moeen Ali and Jimmy Neesham (Janakpur Bolts), Sikandar Raza (Chitwan Rhinos).

Frequently Asked Questions About NPL 2026 Teams

How many teams are playing in Nepal Premier League 2026?

Eight franchise teams compete in NPL Season 3: Lumbini Lions, Sudurpaschim Royals, Janakpur Bolts, Kathmandu Gorkhas, Pokhara Avengers, Chitwan Rhinos, Biratnagar Kings, and Karnali Yaks.

Who are the defending champions of the Nepal Premier League?

Lumbini Lions enter Season 3 as the defending champions after winning the 2025 title.

Who are the notable marquee players and captains in NPL 2026?

Key captains and marquee stars include Rohit Paudel (Lumbini Lions), Dipendra Singh Airee (Sudurpaschim Royals), Harmeet Singh and Lalit Rajbanshi (Janakpur Bolts), Karan KC (Kathmandu Gorkhas), Kushal Bhurtel (Pokhara Avengers), Kushal Malla (Chitwan Rhinos), Sandeep Lamichhane (Biratnagar Kings), and Sompal Kami (Karnali Yaks).

How did teams build their Season 3 rosters?

Season 3 rosters were built three ways: retentions of up to seven players per team (52 in total, marquee included), the auction in Kathmandu on 6 July 2026, where 37 players were sold before squads were completed from the wish list, and direct overseas signings, with six to eight overseas players per squad and at most four in a playing XI.

NPL 2026 Teams & Squads

NPL 2026 Franchise Directory Quick Facts

NPL 2026 Teams

Lumbini Lions

Season 3 Squad · 17 Players

Sudurpaschim Royals

Season 3 Squad · 16 Players

Biratnagar Kings

Season 3 Squad · 17 Players

Kathmandu Gorkhas

Season 3 Squad · 17 Players

Pokhara Avengers

Season 3 Squad · 17 Players

Karnali Yaks

Season 3 Squad · 15 Players

Chitwan Rhinos

Season 3 Squad · 17 Players

Janakpur Bolts

Season 3 Squad · 17 Players

NPL 2026 Teams Comparative Table

NPL Team Roster Rules: Retention, Auction and Signings

Retention

Auction

Overseas Signings

Frequently Asked Questions About NPL 2026 Teams

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